Ministry of Interior Deploys Drones in the Fight against Street Racing

Following the crash on Chelopeshko Shose Boulevard in Sofia, the Ministry of Interior has launched a series of measures aimed at identifying where illegal street races are taking place and who is involved in them.

"We are using the full resources of the Ministry of Interior, including drones, so that these individuals understand they are under police scrutiny and are fully aware that such actions cannot continue and cannot put the lives and health of citizens at risk," Minister of Interior, Ivan Demerdzhiev, said during qustion time in Parliament in response to a question from Vazrazhdane MP Petar Petrov.

Minister Demerdzhiev added that some of the drivers involved in such races own powerful and expensive vehicles. The ministry will investigate whether these individuals genuinely have the financial means to possess such cars, whether they have legitimate sources of income, or whether they may be linked to criminal activity.

"There are several measures the Ministry of Interior is taking: identifying the locations where such races are held, or where there is information suggesting they may take place; identifying drivers who participate in these races. Each regional police director has been tasked with pinpointing these locations and proposing specific measures," he said.

The Minister also presented road safety statistics.

"When we took office, the statistics for the first six months of the year showed 25 more fatalities compared with the same period last year, as well as 32 more serious road traffic accidents," he said.